Multicolor-printing.



PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

G. R. HILDYARD.

' MULTIGOLOR PRINTING.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 1'7. 1903.

s SHEETS-#SHEET 1.

WHA/5.955,9,l

No. 800,152. PATBNTBD SEPT. ze, 1905.

G. R. H1LDYARD. MULTIGoLoR PRINTING.

lAPPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1903.

110.806152. PATBNTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

G. R. HILDYARD.

MULTICOLOR PRINTING. ArrLIoATIoN FILED In. 17. 199'3.

3 SLEETS-SHEET 3.

Mw ML W Jm-jnmm.

' UNITED .sTATEs PATENT OFFICE. y

GEORGE RICHARD' HILDYARD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND. l

MuLT|ooLo3Pn|NT|NG..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1905.

vTo @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, VGEORGE RICHARD HILD- YARD, color-printer, of 2Baronsmere road,

East Finchley, London, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in or Relating to Multicolor-Printing, of which thefollowing is a specification.

- 'This invention vrelates to multicolor-printing apparatus. v

It has been proposed to form a multicolorprinting apparatus of abox-like receptacle which is divided into sections by means of verticalwalls of material such as leather, paper, &c., which material is bent tothe pattern or to the particular shape of the section allotted to eachcolor. Separate colors are placed in each section and the paper whichvhas been printed with an adhesive ink is placed on top of the boX andthe whole is then 'inverted or agitated. so that the colorwill fallIontoy the printed side of the paper and then fallback again' into thesection when the box is returned to its proper position, a portion ofthe color adhering to the printed matter and effecting the printingoperation of a different color for each section. It will be apparentthat only severe and somewhat welldefined patterns can be treated byVthe above apparatus on account of it being necessary to -bend the wallto the pattern and then fastenl same.

It isthe object of this invention to provide I a sectional`color-printing block or tablet and method of manufacturing same wherebyldii Vas above described,and also adapted to work of a much finer natureor work having a lessdefined pattern, while at the same time obtain-ving an increased efficiency of the printing operation.

According to this invention the walls of the color-sections are firstcarved,y delineated, or marked out by a tool whose cutting edge is of aform corresponding to the cross-section of the surface edges of thedividing-walls. The toolmay be used to carve a slab or plate of softmaterial from which the tablet is cast, or the surface of the tabletitself may be carved, the shape of the tool being correspondinglyreversed. A block ortablet is thus formed having the outlines of thesections for each color inclosed by raised walls of suitablecross-section and height so as to leave intervening spaces, in the floorof which I spaces I form one or more holes, depresslons, y

or receptacles of suitable depth and dimension adapted to hold or be fedwith powdered or liquid color for the purpose of printing in the mannerset forth. The shape and position of the holes, depressions, orreceptacles will vary according to the dimensions of the sections'inwhich they are formed and may cover practically the whole or, ifrequired, i

only a portion of each section.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the improved printing-tablet andthe manner in 'which it is made and used.

Figurel is a cross-sectional view of 'a carved slab from which thetablet is molded. Fig. 2 is a view ofa tool employed in carving themold. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. l, showing the tablet inthe mold.Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tablet removed from the mold andhaving the floor of the sections cutaway. Fig. 5 is an end elevation,partly in section, of a machine having the improved tablet mountedtherein for use. The View is shown partly in section. `Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a plan of Figs. 5 and 6 with partsremoved.

Referring now to thedrawin'gs, c is a slab or sheet of composition of awaxy or cheeselike nature of suitable thickness and mounted 'on asuitable base-plate which base-plate is vrou Ines or borders ofthesection allotted to visions between the sections of coloring-mat- Vtermay be made with much greater ease than x A lor. The said tool ispreferably conicalfo'rwedgeshaped and terminates in a point :more orlesssharp or in some cases flat.'

When the slab is cut as described, a cast is taken from the surface sotreated, producing a block or tablet f, having the divisions be-i tweenthe color-sections formed by walls a of tapering or other suitableshape, according to the shape of the instrument used in cutting lthelines. Lines of equal ydepth are readily secured by cutting each line cthrough the whole'dep'th of the slab a onto' the surface o-f the plateZ1 beneath. In Fig. 53 the material from which the tablet f is made'isshown run.

onto the molding-slab a for casting therefrom, the slab being bounded bysuitable walls al for the purpose. The tablet f is" backed by suitableboards or supports e' e, (shown lin Fig. 4, which illustrates aslab'removed from the mold,) and then having cut in the floor of eachcolor-section recesses g g,

which form receptacles for the color and are of' IOO dimensions andshape according to the shape of the particular section to which theybelong. One or more of these recesses may be arranged in each section,and they will preferably be-arranged in aline or along a line more orless parallel to or at an angle to the axis upon which theprinting-tablet is to be rotated-that is to say, if the section is ofelongated form the depression or recess may follow more or less its fulllength to one side thereof or, otherwise, when the section is narrow andparallel to the axis there may be a series of small depressionsthroughout the length thereof.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, which show the improvedprinting-tablet mounted for use, f is the tablet mounted by means of itsbacking 4e in a frame i, which frame is adapted to be rotated bytrunnions on a supporting-frame m by a handle c' when manually operatedor by a pulley or other suitable means when mechanical power isemployed. rlhe rotatable frame L carries a grid J, havingadjusting-screws le, by which the tablet f is adjusted as to itsposition and level. The frame 7L carries a platen Z, mounted on wheelsm, so as to be run off and on. The wheels m are mounted in a frame n,which passes across the machine and from which frame the platen Z issuspended by means of rods 0 and springs p, the springs keeping theplaten normally in a raised position off from the printing-tabletf.

g q are clamps mounted on the frame /t and adapted when turned to clampthe platen down upon the printing-tablet against the action of thesprings p, said clamping action being obtained by inclined faces uponthe clamp or platen. s s are bolts or clamps for securing the platen ina horizont-al position during the operation of preparing the machine forprinting and when removing the printed matter. The surface of the platenwill preferably be formed of suitable soft material, such 'as felt orblanket, mounted on a suitable backing. r r are extension-rails ontowhich the platen is run when off the rotatable frame.

The compositions used are of suitable kind. The slab a, which is carvedin the first instance, may be of a composition of a cheeselike or waxynature adapted to be cut, such as can be made by composition ofvaseline, five parts; beeswax, three parts; white paint, one part.Ordinary oil-paint is used, white being preferred, because it forms acontrast with the black iron underneath, so that when the lines arecarved by the tool the black iron is exposed and the drawing is clear,as if you were drawing with ink. The cast printingtablet may be ofcement (as ordinary Portland or similar cement) and plaster-of-paris, orof a composition similar to that used for making printers rollers, or ofa mixture of both.

Instead of cutting out the depressions or receptacles in the ioor of thecolor-sections they may be cast with the tablet by building up thesurface of the slab u, before casting or by adding composition theretoor by the use of tiles or any blocks found suitable for the purposeplaced on the surface of the slab u. where required before casting.

Referring now to thc operation and assuming a printing-tal'ilet to bemounted as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the various colors in the form ofpowder or liquid, preferably powder, are placed in the receptacle oftheir respective sections. The sheet of paper which has been printed ina tacky or adhesive substance with the required design is then placedover the block with the printed design downward. The platen Z is movedto position over the back of the paper and the tablet, and the clamps qare turned so as to press the platen onto the tablet and firmly securethe paper thereon in contact with the walls of the sections. Duringthese operations the frame /t is sccured in the horizontal position bythe bolts or catches .s s. Now that the whole is secure the bolts s aare unfastened and the frame and platen are rotated by the handlel orsuitably agitated, so that the color from the receptacles falls out ontothe paper and distributes itself over the surface bounded by the wallsof each section. As soon as the rotatable frame has been suiiicientlyagitated it is returned to normal horizontal position, the clamps arereleased, the platen t is run olf, and the sheet is removed with all thecolors printed thereon. After removal, if required, the color-printedsheet is printed or outlined in black where required by printing in theordinary way.

By the methods referred to as hitherto proposed it would not be possibleto make the color-sections of any great depth without elaborateprecautions and expenditure of skill or labor and with shallow spacesfor the color the color would fall more or less directly onto the paperand then back again onto the licor of the section. By my improved tabletand means of making same the slab iirst carved can be so thin as toallow of such freedom of motion of the carving instrument that thepicture can be artistically executed, and when the sections aredelineated the iioor of each section can be readily treated byoperations on the mold or the cast tablet to form a recess or recessesof proper depth and covering more or less of the whole section, as maybe required, in order that the color will when it falls onto the printedsurface of the paper have sufiicient space to distribute itself over thesurface of the section in a direction more or less parallel to thesurface of the paper, whereby a much better print is obtained. By thesemeans the floor of the section need not be of any great depth, while thecolor-receptacles themselves may be adapted to hold any requiredquantity of color for printing a large number of copies. In some cases,even where the receptacle extends ovei` practically the lOO whole of thesections, as it may do, it will be preferable to leave a small ledge ofwhat was the floor of the section next to or alongside of thedividing-walls, although the floor may be cut away right up to thewalls, ifrequired.V A further advantage also accrues where deep sectionsor receptacles in the lioor thereof are used in that when the tablet isreturned to its normal position there is plenty of room for a largequantity of color to rest and leave a clear space between the color andthe printing-'surface for the color to work across the sheet at the nextrevolution o r operation. The deep receptacles also in a similar mannerprevent the color resting in a heap at any particular spot and causingclogging.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A multicolor-printing tablet divided by a pattern of walls intosections for each color, the said pattern of walls being made of shallowdepth and the Hoor of each section being recessed to formcolor-receptacles adapted to hold sufficient color for a number ofprints and to permit the distributing of the color over the paper whenthe tablet is inverted thereupon.

2. A process for manufacturing a multicolorprinting tablet having apattern of raised walls which divide the color-sections, consisting inrst forming the pattern by carving grooves in a shallow slab allowingfreedom of movement of the carving instrument, and then casting thetablet'with the raised pattern of shallow walls therefrom, the floor ofthe sections being recessed after ,the walls are formed in order to formreceptacles for the color, the shallow walls first cut facilitatingthedelineation of the pattern, while the deep receptacles provide amplespace for movement of the color over the paper and for carryingsufficient color for a number of prints.

3. A multicolor-printing tablet having a floor and a pattern ofshalloweasily-delineated raised walls whichl divide the color-sections andwhich are formed integral with the body of the tablet said ioor beingformed with color-holding cavities adapted to hold suflicient color fora number of prints, and of a depth sufiicient to permit the distributingof the color over the paper when the tablet is inverted thereupon.

4:. A multicolor-printing tablet having the outlines of thecolor-sections formed by raised walls which leave intervening spaceswhich have color-receptacles in the floor of a suitable depth to holdsuiiicient color for a number of prints, and of sufficient depthcombined with the height of the shallow walls to permit the distributingof the color over the paper when the tablet is inverted thereupon.

Y5. The process of manufacturing a multicolor-printing tablet,consisting in taking a slab of soft material and cutting the surfaceinto grooves of suitable cross-section and equal.

depth around the boundaries of each color-section, casting aprinting-tablet from said slab so that the cut lines on the slab formraised walls on the .printing-tablet of the desired cross-section and ofa height suicient to permit the distributing of the color over the paperwhen the tablet is inverted thereupon, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. A process of manufacturinga multicolor- 4printing tablet, consistingin taking a slab of material of a cheese-like consistency and cuttinggrooves of equal depth in the surface thereof, which grooves form apattern corresponding to the boundaries of the sections requiredfor.each color, casting a printing-tablet from a slab so cut, the groovesand consequently the raised walls being of a depth sufficient to permitthe distributing of the color over the paper when the tablet isinverted4 thereupon, and serving to divide the colorsections one fromanother, said printing-tablet being then cut with recesses in the floorof each color-section adapted to hold suiiicient color fora number ofprints, in which recess the color is to be placed, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

7. A multicolor-printing tablet comprising a pattern of shallow raisedwalls formed on a tablet of material of such consistency thatcolor-receptacles can be formed in the floor of the sections after thepattern is delineated and so as to correspond with the shape of eachsection, and said tablet having such color-receptacles adapted to holdsufficient color for a number of prints, substantially'as and for thepurpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE RICHARD lHILDYARI).

IOO

